Norfolk, Va. (May 19, 2022) --- Krew Bouldin lined a single down the right field line to score Mike Worthington with two outs in the bottom of the 10^th inning to give Delaware State a dramatic 7-6 walk-off victory over Norfolk State in the 2022 MEAC Tournament opener at NSU's Marty Miller Field today.
Worthington, who drew a one-out walk off Norfolk State reliever James DeLoatch, was on first when Trey Paige, the 2022 MEAC Player of the Year, was walked intentionally, giving the Hornets runners at second and first with two outs in the 10^th.  
Bouldin followed with the sharp hit down the line to send Worthington racing home with the winning run, and the Hornets rushing out of the dugout to mob Bouldin near second base.
The win, Delaware State's first in a MEAC Tournament opener since 2015, sends the Hornets to the second round of the tourney to face the winner of Thursday's No. 2 Coppin State vs. #3 Maryland-Eastern Shore first round game on Friday at 12:00 p.m. Friday's winner will advance to the championship round.
The Hornets are seeking their first MEAC Tournament championship since winning their lone title in 1989.
"Teams have been rightfully walking Trey all year, so it was great to come through in that situation," said Bouldin, who hit a walk-off solo homer following a two-run shot by Paige to give the Hornets a 4-3 win over Maryland-Eastern Shore a week ago today. "I was just looking for something good to hit and was  lucky enough to get it."
Bouldin had a game-high four hits (4-for-6) to lead the Hornets' 10-hit attack.
Norfolk State trailed 6-4 entering the top of the ninth inning, but scored two runs to send the game into extras. The Spartans scored the tying run on a two-out single by designated hitter Jacob Council.
The Hornets, seeded first in the tournament, were the home team in the contest.  
After Delaware State starter Peter Carecca set down Norfolk State in order in the top of the first inning,  one by strikeout, the Hornets opened the scoring with a run in the bottom of the first.
Miguel Rivera reached base on an error to lead off the inning and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Rivera moved to third on a one-out single by Krew Bouldin, and scored the game's first run on a passed ball by the Spartans.  
Norfolk State responded with two runs in the top of the second to pull ahead.
Council led off the second inning with a home run over the fence in right field off Carecca to tie the score. Two batters later, Tommy Woods doubled with one out and later scored on a two-out single through the right side by Kam Walker to give Norfolk State a 2-1 lead.
Delaware State evened the score with a run in the third.
Trey Paige singed to lead off the inning, and was still at first when Alan Alonso tripled to the gap in right center, with Paige rounding the bases to tie the game at 2-2.
The Hornets regained the lead with three runs in the bottom fourth.
Mike Worthington started the rally with a one out double. He stole third, and crossed the plate on a single up the middle by Rivera to give Delaware State a 3-2 lead.
After Rivera stole second and Paige drew a walk, Bouldin singled to right to score Rivera with the Hornets' fourth run. Paige later scored on a bases walk to Alonso to stretch Delaware's lead to 5-2.
Norfolk State, the No. 4 tournament seed, scored two runs in the top of the fifth to trim the Hornets' lead to one. Raphy Rodriguez singled in the first run of the inning and the second crossed the plate Delaware State reliever Mike Carrington hit Tommy Woods with a pitch with the bases loaded, although the run was charged to Carecca.
Carrington threw four hitless innings of middle relief for the Hornets, striking out three without allowing a walk.  
The Hornets tacked on a sixth inning run when Paige led off the inning with an infield single and later scored when Brady Daniels reached base on an error to stretch their lead to 6-4.
STINGERS
The Hornets are looking to win their first two MEAC Tournament games since topping Bethune-Cookman (6-2) and Norfolk State (13-11) in 2015 at Perdue Stadium in Salisbury, Md. … Paige was two of three, with two walks and three runs scored … Delaware State reliever Ethan Edelson retired all three batters he faced in the Norfolk State 10^th to record the win.